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Madden 12 News Post


Ian, Donny and Josh discuss the future of Madden, mostly talking about Franchise mode, but also touch on quite a few other things.

What did you like/dislike about the latest podcast?

Here are a couple of links.

Game: Madden NFL 12Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 44 - View All
Madden NFL 12 Videos
Member Comments
# 101 BlueNGold @ 12/12/10 01:00 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bukktown
Its not such a bad idea really.
Yeah, it actually isn't. I'm sure there is a ****load of guys that would work for EA for free, as crazy as that might sound.
 
# 102 khaliib @ 12/12/10 01:22 AM
Thanks for your response Ian.

This was what I really was trying to get an answer on because of the "Open Editing" discussion you started.

"what we're finding on the NCAA side is that gamers are very smart and are finding things to enhance gameplay through their extensive testing.

With staff and time being limited, why not allow gamers the ability to test an "open editor" on the current Madden?
This way you can get direct gamer feedback on thresholds and boundaries within the game if given access.
 
# 103 BlackBetty15 @ 12/12/10 02:05 AM
Hence this was the FIRST year I didnt buy madden. I have bought every year since this game has been amde and this year was the one that disappointed me the most not because of the gameplay and graphics and other things, but the lack of effort in the franchise department. The "broken" entrances that never made it into the game ect...seems like every single sprts game dev team has the same 24 hours and semiodd months to make a game and they do a phenominal job. I dont know and I dont want to speculate, I just know this years outing seemed like, "hey, we added commentary so that should shut them up for a few months" kinda feeling. I was really disappinted that the franchise was left undone entirely.
 
# 104 BlackBetty15 @ 12/12/10 02:08 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by 31
I wish they would stop talking about what they can't do, and start talking about what they can do.

All this "we don't have time" stuff is just excuses. I realize you only have so much time, that is a fact. However, we as a community need to hear these guys being more positive and proactive. Tell us about what you can do. Do something innovative. Give us a reason to buy Madden. Don't keep telling us we don't have time to get the things we want in the game.

I hate to bring this up because its been beaten to death, but until this stuff is in its still a valid point. We still don't have in-game saves, and still don't have a working IR. The community has been begging for these two things for years now. Yet we always get the same responses. "We don't have time" or "Its to hard". We don't care if its to hard, and its been years. More than enough time.
Whooomp there it is.
 
# 105 guaps @ 12/12/10 06:49 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA
I don't give a crap about that opinion...it's just your opinion. We deal with criticism...every hour, every day. I don't want to do them if they aren't reaching their intent, which was to engage the community in a new way. We are trying to just be honest with how things work behind the scenes, but since many don't like to hear that and just turn it into a negative thing, then it isn't achieving the intent.
I personally think the podcasts are an interesting way to interact with the community. However, I believe that you should stop doing the podcasts until you are allowed to talk about certain things. Last year I followed your live chats, but I would much rather have had a 10-15 minute podcast instead of those chats.

Also when I listen to the current podcasts they always start out with "this guy, x, is so talent and cool, just like everybody else on this team... we have so many czar's and guru's you can get two for a dollar... BUT there are too many barriers and other limitations that doesn't allow us to make the game that both we and the community want." How can you not expect the OS community to turn that into a negative thing?
 
# 106 roadman @ 12/12/10 10:41 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by guaps
I personally think the podcasts are an interesting way to interact with the community. However, I believe that you should stop doing the podcasts until you are allowed to talk about certain things. Last year I followed your live chats, but I would much rather have had a 10-15 minute podcast instead of those chats.

Also when I listen to the current podcasts they always start out with "this guy, x, is so talent and cool, just like everybody else on this team... we have so many czar's and guru's you can get two for a dollar... BUT there are too many barriers and other limitations that doesn't allow us to make the game that both we and the community want." How can you not expect the OS community to turn that into a negative thing?
Did you listen to the first 2 podcast? Did you get any more info from the 3rd vs the 1st 2?

If you don't like the format of the podcast, as TLC mentioned, you don't need to listen to them.

Also, I don't think we are the only community they listen to. And they don't just listen to the internet community, either. If MUT continues to be a big hit, they will enhance MUT over the year.
 
# 107 guaps @ 12/12/10 11:13 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadman
Did you listen to the first 2 podcast? Did you get any more info from the 3rd vs the 1st 2?

If you don't like the format of the podcast, as TLC mentioned, you don't need to listen to them.

Also, I don't think we are the only community they listen to. And they don't just listen to the internet community, either. If MUT continues to be a big hit, they will enhance MUT over the year.
Roadman, I'm sorry but I simply don't understand your post.

First, I state that I find the podcasts an interesting (aka good) way to communicate with the community, but that I believe that they probably should save them for when they are allowed to talk more in details. I did not attack the format of the podcasts nor comment on level of information in the 3rd versus the earlier podcasts as you suggest.

Second, I reply to Ian's post with a question on how they could not expect that the OS community would create a negative spin, when they start all podcasts by stating how talented they are and ends them by explaining that there are limitations that prevents them from creating the game they envision. Any business that simultaneously believe that they are the best while at the same time excuse their work are bound to be the subject of some negative criticism.

Also I never mention that OS as an exclusive community for the podcasts nor do I mention MUT.

I respect that you defend EA and Madden on this forum, but please don't twist my post to make it fit your personal agenda.
 
# 108 khaliib @ 12/12/10 12:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadman
Did you listen to the first 2 podcast? Did you get any more info from the 3rd vs the 1st 2?

If you don't like the format of the podcast, as TLC mentioned, you don't need to listen to them.

Also, I don't think we are the only community they listen to. And they don't just listen to the internet community, either. If MUT continues to be a big hit, they will enhance MUT over the year.
Roadman,


Don't take this personal, but this is what turns threads into pages of "Garbage".

However a gamer chooses to express themselves about the positives/negatives they perceive this game to have to a Dev, it should be respected without the need of another "Gamer's" negative injection.

What value does such injections add to the discussion/thread?

Within communication, a Negative + Negative does not equal a Positve.

Again, I hope you don't take it the wrong way.


(My wife just reminded me, that I'm doing the very same thing!!!)
 
# 109 green94 @ 12/12/10 12:49 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA
Some responses / questions...
- "And as far as that "cant make drastic improvements in one cycle" BS....". Where did we ever say that? I 100% believe that drastic improvements can be made in one cycle.
Good to hear, I hope you guys trump 2k11. Crazy thing is, everyone on this board wants you to succeed. I've never seen a group of more dedicated fans to a sports video game ever.

If you guys were to deliver a "perfect" balance between gameplay and presentation, you would be worshiped around here. Obviously "perfect" is subject to everyones interpretation... so good luck!
 
# 110 roadman @ 12/12/10 01:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by khaliib
Roadman,


Don't take this personal, but this is what turns threads into pages of "Garbage".

However a gamer chooses to express themselves about the positives/negatives they perceive this game to have to a Dev, it should be respected without the need of another "Gamer's" negative injection.

What value does such injections add to the discussion/thread?

Within communication, a Negative + Negative does not equal a Positve.

Again, I hope you don't take it the wrong way.


(My wife just reminded me, that I'm doing the very same thing!!!)
No offense taken. I don't write my thoughts with negative feelings, and I can't help it if it's perceived on the other end as negative.(Please, don't take that personal)

I say what I think. And I think it's too early to be criticizing 12 without any concrete information.

Isn't this what this thread is about? Comments on podcast #3?

And now my wife is calling me to get out and help decorate the tree. Ah, the real life.
 
# 111 Boling4Humor @ 12/12/10 01:50 PM
Its DECEMBER people. Give it time and things will develop into something amazing come August. Just because they're talking about how the perfect franchise will be in the next few years does not mean they are going to half *** this years. They said they're going to mess with the franchise and i'm confident this is what they intend to do. So please if you really want to get the perfect madden game thats full of detailed information right now....then just go write a letter to Santa and let Ian and the guys do their job.
 
# 112 Boling4Humor @ 12/12/10 02:50 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phixius
Next, "it's APRIL people", and then "it's just a DEMO people", then it's "use SLIDERS people", then "maybe NEXT YEAR".
Maybe try to have faith. As long as you assume the same results your only creating problems for yourselves. Just bite your toungue and PASS THE JUDGEMENT on the product AFTER it's been published. Not when it's December. That's just selfish and ridiculous.
 
# 113 Armor and Sword @ 12/12/10 07:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA
Some responses / questions...

- WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC FEATURES FOR MADDEN 12. You hopefully know that by now. Quotes like "Taken together, however, I see them very carefully attempting to set expectations." are just wrong. IT IS DECEMBER, WE HAVE TO BE CRYPTIC. If you are the type of guy that is going to get fired up about not enough talk about specific improvements, then I suggest you don't listen to the podcast.

- Nowhere in the podcast are we saying it's going to take multiple years for you to see any improvements, or that 12 won't have any. See point above, and I can say we have been working on Franchise improvements for some time now.

- "And as far as that "cant make drastic improvements in one cycle" BS....". Where did we ever say that? I 100% believe that drastic improvements can be made in one cycle.

- "I guess after these podcasts, it just looks to me like Madden isn't gonna be a game I'm gonna ever like on these consoles." Does that statement seem a little ridiculous to anyone else? After a podcast that discusses ZERO REAL FEATURE ADDITIONS you aren't going to like Madden, EVER? I always hoped that this forum would eventually be a great place for feedback and ways to improve the game, not the sensationalist extremism that it can quickly descends into.

- There is nothing more frustrating to me than people not actually listening to the podcast but jumping on the opinion bandwagon of another. Please guys, we are spending the time planning and recording these SPECIFICALLY for the Madden community...you could at least give us the respect of listening to it and forming an opinion of your own.

Maybe we should just stop doing these for a while if too many people aren't able to cope with the lack of real information and turn that into a negative thing. That's not what we want out of these at all...we just want to give people a behind the scenes look at the development process and decision making. Thoughts?


Keep them going Ian.

It is appreciated. I don't get the seething nasty posts. I just don't. I havebeen playing Madden since the first genesis cart. The game has a core feel and style and I know I speak for most Madden fans that Madden 2011 may well be the best on field playing Madden yet. What the main bone of contention and it is well documented is the step back the offline franchise mode has taken since the jump to the new gen consoles. We would love the 2005-2007 franchise mode back. That would make so many of us very happy as long time hard core fans/buyers of the game.


Madden 2010 was a huge jump for me (and my first next gen Madden) and I had hoped for more in 2011 on the presentation and franchise side. Well you guys really made the running game the best it has ever been and the catch animations are great and the game plays very good. It's the franchsie features and presentation that needs the love for me and I think I speak for most real fans of the game. Not the guys who say the engine stinks and tear it down. But the players who love the Madden way of playing video game football.

Just blow off those nasty posts....it is a loud minority around here. And yes I am noob around but I have been reading stuff here for years and have been playing sports video games my entire life (40 years old).

I know I appreciate the communication and the fact that the designers of the game take the time to interact with the community.
 
# 114 PacMan3000 @ 12/12/10 08:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA
Some responses / questions...

- WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC FEATURES FOR MADDEN 12. You hopefully know that by now. Quotes like "Taken together, however, I see them very carefully attempting to set expectations." are just wrong. IT IS DECEMBER, WE HAVE TO BE CRYPTIC. If you are the type of guy that is going to get fired up about not enough talk about specific improvements, then I suggest you don't listen to the podcast.

- Nowhere in the podcast are we saying it's going to take multiple years for you to see any improvements, or that 12 won't have any. See point above, and I can say we have been working on Franchise improvements for some time now.

- "And as far as that "cant make drastic improvements in one cycle" BS....". Where did we ever say that? I 100% believe that drastic improvements can be made in one cycle.

- "I guess after these podcasts, it just looks to me like Madden isn't gonna be a game I'm gonna ever like on these consoles." Does that statement seem a little ridiculous to anyone else? After a podcast that discusses ZERO REAL FEATURE ADDITIONS you aren't going to like Madden, EVER? I always hoped that this forum would eventually be a great place for feedback and ways to improve the game, not the sensationalist extremism that it can quickly descends into.

- There is nothing more frustrating to me than people not actually listening to the podcast but jumping on the opinion bandwagon of another. Please guys, we are spending the time planning and recording these SPECIFICALLY for the Madden community...you could at least give us the respect of listening to it and forming an opinion of your own.

Maybe we should just stop doing these for a while if too many people aren't able to cope with the lack of real information and turn that into a negative thing. That's not what we want out of these at all...we just want to give people a behind the scenes look at the development process and decision making. Thoughts?
You make good, fair points. The only thing I'll say is that, as the lead designer, you have to sort of see your job as being the coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Huge franchise, great, long tradition, but in the minds of many, it's been disappointing for years. And I don't mean since you took over and became the lead man, I'm talking years before you likely came on board.

So I think people are venting (and maybe to a degree unfairly) because they want the game EA is capable of producing--but for whatever reason hasn't. Just like the Cowboys fans want to see their team go deep into the playoffs, Madden fans, too, are tired of the wait till next year feeling that seems to permeate these boards.

I don't think people complain because they enjoy it. I think they do so because they've played great console football games in the past, and they feel that the Madden franchise--ever since the "next gen" consoles hit store shelves five or six years ago--has been underachieving, while other sports get incredible video game representations.
 
# 115 DaggerSwagger @ 12/12/10 08:44 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by lofeazy
This is why so many fans of this game gets angery.Every year its the same song no matter what time of year it is.(We don't have a enough time,The suits don't want sim.)Trust me people are going to complain when the game comes out.


This what happens when you only have 1 NFL GAME.
that's my thoughts excatly
 
# 116 N51_rob @ 12/12/10 09:16 PM
Just listened to the podcast. I think it's crazy to hear the stuff that was happening to Looman in his personal life because of a video game. People really need to get a grip and bring their priorties in line a little better. Having said that...

It's still to early for me to draw any conclusions about Madden 12. But I am a franchise gamer first and formost. I didn't buy 11, but in 10 I played a grand total of 8 games onilne. I did play in the OS Vets online franchise, but those were games against good guys. I don't play online, I don't play MUT. I play franchise. That is what I enjoy to do with the limited time that I have to play games. So personally for me the easiest way for EA to get my NFL gaming $$$ is to make a game the includes all the things that Happen Monday to Saturday. I want 53 roster spot and 8 practice squad guys. I want to only dress 45. (I loved having to make that call in HC09). I want to be able to really get into contracts. Being able to front load or back load a contract. I want the preperation, work, and gameplanning that I do during the week to matter. I want the scheme that I run to effect my players. (ex. Andre Carter is a terrible 3-4 OLB, but had a pretty good year last year as a 4-3 DE).

I understand that these things can't happen overnight or in a single development cycle. But I also know that I'm 29 years old, soon to be engaged and married after that. I am becoming more of an "adult" and won't have the time I used to and eventually won't really be a "gamer." I would hate to think that by the time Madden has the things that I want I won't care to play because life will be to time consuming.

Lastly, Ian mentioned something about casual gamers not really know all ins and outs of football as it relates to franchise mode. I would offer him MLB 10. They had a very good mode on the calender and in game that explained things that I was never familier with like the Rule 5 draft, and A and B level FA (or whatever they were). They also had a calender that was very helpful with all those things. I don't know how easy that is to implement but it can be done and can be very usefully for those that don't know that much about the sport.
 
# 117 DickDalewood @ 12/12/10 10:52 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by N51_rob
Just listened to the podcast. I think it's crazy to hear the stuff that was happening to Looman in his personal life because of a video game. People really need to get a grip and bring their priorties in line a little better. Having said that...

It's still to early for me to draw any conclusions about Madden 12. But I am a franchise gamer first and formost. I didn't buy 11, but in 10 I played a grand total of 8 games onilne. I did play in the OS Vets online franchise, but those were games against good guys. I don't play online, I don't play MUT. I play franchise. That is what I enjoy to do with the limited time that I have to play games. So personally for me the easiest way for EA to get my NFL gaming $$$ is to make a game the includes all the things that Happen Monday to Saturday. I want 53 roster spot and 8 practice squad guys. I want to only dress 45. (I loved having to make that call in HC09). I want to be able to really get into contracts. Being able to front load or back load a contract. I want the preperation, work, and gameplanning that I do during the week to matter. I want the scheme that I run to effect my players. (ex. Andre Carter is a terrible 3-4 OLB, but had a pretty good year last year as a 4-3 DE).

I understand that these things can't happen overnight or in a single development cycle. But I also know that I'm 29 years old, soon to be engaged and married after that. I am becoming more of an "adult" and won't have the time I used to and eventually won't really be a "gamer." I would hate to think that by the time Madden has the things that I want I won't care to play because life will be to time consuming.

Lastly, Ian mentioned something about casual gamers not really know all ins and outs of football as it relates to franchise mode. I would offer him MLB 10. They had a very good mode on the calender and in game that explained things that I was never familier with like the Rule 5 draft, and A and B level FA (or whatever they were). They also had a calender that was very helpful with all those things. I don't know how easy that is to implement but it can be done and can be very usefully for those that don't know that much about the sport.
I completely agree here. Casual fans don't NEED to know the ins and outs (I'm one of those players), because if it's a GOOD franchise mode, that means we should be able to set things up so that the computer handles them and they are still done correctly; after all, that's what the non-human controlled teams are already doing.

I've been playing MLB The Show and the 2K basketball series for a few years now, and despite lacking the real knowledge to be a true GM, I still manage just fine leaving a lot of the work up to the computer, and jumping in when I see fit. The best part about it? There are OPTIONS for EVERYONE, no matter their game skill.
 
# 118 kjcheezhead @ 12/13/10 12:07 AM
This post is an attempt to explain completely, thoughtfully and as respectfully as I can, my concerns/reactions from this podcast. It’s also pretty long.

The first part of this podcast dicusses MUT and it’s overall success. Having no interest in MUT, I found it somewhat irritating and here’s why. MUT from my perspective is a selective game mode. Many gamers ignore it, but it has received an excessive amount of attention because of the financial potential it provides to EA.

After talking about MUT, they later explain how Offline Franchise is a multi-year project. Now to clarify, I wasn’t upset that it would take as long as five years to get everything we want in franchise mode, that's a given, but at the fact franchise was almost completely ignored while the MUT building process was going on. In other words, I feel we probably could have had at least some of the franchise improvements last year or sooner, if not for MUT.

My second issue with the podcast was that Online Franchise is a long term goal, but not necessarily a Madden 12 goal. I know many on here care nothing about online franchise, but I have been an online franchise guy since the days of the EA lockers on the PS2 and a solid online franchise would be my mode of choice. Considering there was a time online franchise was touted as easily improved with “server side fixes” , I’m disappointed in not at least having contracts and a salary cap added to the mode and was/am hoping for improvements like setting it to 8,12 and 16 team leagues to make them more managable and eliminate the need for so many cpu teams. My feeling after the podcast is this mode will not receive any attention.

My other big disappointment is Ian’s response to a question about ps2 adjustments. He said he wasn’t “gung ho” about adding them because they were unsim. My reaction to that lead Ian to correct me by pointing out he liked those features and actually designed many of them. None the less, I felt after those reponses that it was unlikely they would make madden 12 and I was accused of sensationalism by stating I already doubt madden 12 will be the game for me. Now to understand just how important these adjustments are to me, feel free to watch this video I produced for Madden 10….


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5aGfcvh1xs


I don’t want to exaggerate or sensationalize the importance of these adjustments for me again so I will just say this.. if I have to donate my right testicle to get them in, I will do so.

Finally a concern that these podcast left me with is that only franchise mode is going to get the upgrades. I hope that isn’t the case. I believe upgrading superstar mode some and/or the minigames so that we can have challenges like “swat ball” and “pocket presence” instead of the bench press, 40 yard dash, and the current DB drill that requires no skill would offer gamers a way to enjoy Madden without commiting to it for an hour or more and has the benfit of improving the gamers “on the field” skills. In other words, the more enjoyable modes madden 12 has, the better overall game imo.

I understand many of my concerns aren’t what the majority wants, but I hope now that I have laid it all out on the table, both the devs and fellow Osers will understand my initial responses were not meant to attack the devs personally or blindly bash Madden just for the fun of it. It may be December, but I have genuine concerns for the future of this franchise and simply attempted to voice those concerns. I also stand by my earlier statements, I will not respond to any additional podcasts without concrete info to respond to.

Thanks for reading and sorry if I wasted your time.
>>
>>
 
# 119 lgxjames @ 12/13/10 01:16 AM
I like and enjoy the podcast and all but I just wonder if there will ever be a separation from those who listen and "all is well" and those who listen and "post every negative thing they can think of"

I just can't believe these things get out of control over 10 negative comments when 100000000 (exaggerated) buys madden and probably a 3rd of that listens to the podcast and enjoys them and can comprehend what is being said without it being said.

It seems to me we often times all get grouped in together...

Sidenote: The hateful tweet of the week had me rolling....lol
 
# 120 Tengo Juego @ 12/13/10 02:05 AM
I didn't anticipate this podcast going south with the community. I'm guessing a lot of the Madden community doesn't listen to a whole lot of podcasts. Generally, it's just a few people sitting around in a recording booth shootin' the sh*t. That's pretty much what this podcast has been, but all in subject to Madden.

I've enjoyed them, and hope that you guys continue to make them. Maybe not on a weekly, or even bi-weekly basis. But checkpoint podcasts would be cool. They'd be even more worthwhile listens post-blog, when that time comes.

Also, this is just a thought... kill the hateful tweet of the week. You're just encouraging those people.
 


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