EA really grinds my gears with Madden 13 - DJ's Blog

DJ's Blog

EA really grinds my gears with Madden 13

Posted on September 11, 2012 at 11:53 PM.

(25)

So, the second Madden 13 patch was released today and was overall a "meh" patch.

But, for the OFFLINE gamer, the patch did next to NOTHING, especially as it relates to Connected Careers.

XP points are still screwed up. Coaching schemes don't stick. Auto subs don't work. Sliders operate differently in CC than they do in Play Now. CPU Playcalling is trash, especially in the 4th quarter. Still can't choose Zoom or Broadcast Camera and yep, you guessed it, you are still defaulted to using Gameflow when you start a game.

Kudos, EA. You really pulled one over on me this year.

The promise of real-time physics and a new franchise mode that feature elements of Head Coach 09 tantalized me. I should've known better. Now, more than ever, I'm severly handcuffed when I play this game.

Fantasy Draft? Gone.

Season Mode? That's not the mode you're looking for.

Use an edited roster in CC? Nope.

Call me cranky, call me whatever (just don't call me maybe) but I'm sorry, I really don't like the precedent Madden 13 is setting, and if you don't know what that is, I'll tell you:

The offline gamer in EA's world, is a relic, a hippie, a footnote in video game history.

Instead of paying back all of those loyal customers that got you to where you are today, EA has made the business decision to go another direction. It's not a coincidence that CCM has received several tuners online yet offline gets nothing, even with a patch. I even asked a person that works on Madden about when a fix for offline CCM would be coming and I was told to just do a 1-player Online CCM.

That isn't what I want to do. I shouldn't have to be connected to the Internet and more importantly, to EA's servers, every time I play Madden. I paid $60 for this game, shouldn't I be able to play and enjoy it how I see fit?

According to EA, the answer to that question is no. I now have to play on their terms and play only the modes they want me to play. Again. It's a business decision by EA so I get that and understand that moving forward I am not in their target demographic.

That's fine if that is indeed the case. Tell me now (although your actions are clearly pointing that direction) and we can both move on. It's a shame because there are things I enjoy about Madden 13, but the overly-restrictive nature of the game and the continual push towards online play is alienating long-time supporters of the series like myself.

Connected Careers is a mode that has great potential, EA. Just don't forget about the people that brought you to the dance; give us the same opportunities to enjoy this game as you do those that choose to play online.

Choose, or choice, is really the key word in this blog/ramble. Introducing new modes is fine, but don't think you can force millions of people to play the game the same way.

Comments

# 16 joefrommo117 @ Sep 14

The gameplay in 13 is better (when it doesn't have the 'fair catch' or 'run commit' glitch), but there are so many issues in CCM that it really ruins the experience: Outdated rosters that we can't modify, schemes and settings that won't save, no way to use custom playbooks, no way to modify coach philosophy for the opponent you're facing, and to top it off, a bunch of freeze/lock up issues. There certainly is the groundwork for a good game, but all the flaws really kill the experience.

# 17 j_koerth @ Sep 14

Couldn't have sad it better myself DJ, I mean all of sudden...it was like wham...it wasn't even mentioned in anything that franchise mode was going to be replaced up to the release. Then when you play the demo you can play 2 player Co-op, then get the game and can't play co-op other than in play now mode. Who plays 2 player co-op play now mode all the time???...everyone that plays 2 player co-op plays a franchise...EA really got the gameplay elevated, but totally dropped the ball on the CCM capabilities.

# 18 NoSupport615 @ Sep 14

Good piece! couldn't have said it better

# 19 cmidd @ Sep 14

Couldn't agree more! At least NBA 2k still has a franchise mode that lets you edit rosters and their superstar mode is better than cc. I hope everybody is spamming 2k forums and other companies forums about making an NCAA game since EA can't for a few years.. To be able to play an american football game without EA's BS would be awesome

# 20 cmidd @ Sep 14

@jwtucker Of course not! You might not buy Madden 13 if they let you do that, just like the limit on created players a few years ago, if they let you make as many players as you wanted, there would be no need to buy NCAA every year or a new Madden every year for that matter!!!