Lexicon's Blog
Now that I've relayed the importance of Franchise Mode, I'm going to show you exactly where I think franchise mode should be with a detailed outline, going through one full year in Franchise Mode with notes on multi-year suggestions at the end. I know some of these features will be in Madden NFL 12 in some form or fashion, and I will cross those off my list once the final product comes out.
Pre-Season
-Position Battles: Similar to what they implemented for Madden NFL 2005. Ignoring small differences in OVR ratings, allow the depth chart to be created based on performance.
-Player Progression/Regression: Have Rookies/Younger Players progress or regress based on performance in pre-season. Also, base the progression/regression on which string of offense/defense the player is facing (i.e. more progression/regression vs 1st string as opposed to lesser progression/regression vs 2nd and/or 3rd string)
-Expanded Rosters: Watching Hard Knocks, you know that some players make the squad with their performance in training camp and pre-season games. Unfortunately, as it stands now in Madden, you're basically finalizing your team before pre-season even starts. You should be able to sign all your rookie picks and invite undrafted free agents to training camps, and gradually cut players until the start of the regular season.
-Better Substitution System: As it stands right now, CPU controlled teams will play their starting QB the whole first quarter, no matter if it's the first pre-season game or the fourth. Realistically, the starting QB (depending on experience and importance) would only play a series in the first game, gradually increasing playing time til the start of the season to limit chance of injury. Also, as it is now, 3rd string does not get subbed in as much as they should be.
-Hall of Fame Game: It kicks off the pre-season every year, and has become an NFL tradition. It would also be great if we got a cut-scene of all of the Hall of Famers voted in that year standing together in suits posing for a picture at half time.
-Regular Season Prediction Show: A show going over an analysts predictions for the upcoming season based on off-season additions and subtractions. Go over games in the upcoming regular season schedule to keep an eye on. Also, 'awards' for pre-season performance (Best QB, Best HB, etc.)
-Pre-Season Press Conference: As the owner of the team, announce to your fan-base your intension and expectations for the upcoming season. Field some 'tough' questions about your roster ("why did you decide to start so-and-so instead of this guy?").
-Fan Screen: A screen that shows you your fans excitement for the upcoming season, their expectations, and other thoughts such as what they do and don't like about the team (players, coaches, current stadium, etc.)
-Player Morale: The reason I'm mentioning this under "Pre-Season" and not under "Regular Season" is because of the next feature I'm about to list. Players morale should be based upon players position on the team, performance to salary ratio, desire to play in teams climate, and experience in the NFL. For example, rookies don't really care where they play, but veterans tend to base who they sign with on area and off-the-field perks.
-Practice Squads: A roster of 8 players that can be called upon during the season to replace injured or released players. Player Morale would factor in to this feature. If a player feels like he can succeed elsewhere or thinks he's good enough to be on the full roster, then his morale will go down until you call him up to the main roster.
Regular Season
-Weekly Headlines: Nothing much needs to be added to Regular Season. Acknowledge players returning to their old stomping grounds, records and record breaking streaks, new projected starters, trading block rumors, important games to the playoff picture, breakout players, and more. I don't expect a virtual show, but I do expect the game to recognize these big events. I'd like to see it in magazine or NFL.com form.
Playoffs
-Playoff Prediction Show: Have an analyst or two go through the Playoff match-ups and the roadmaps for all the teams journey to the Playoffs. It's been a long season and now it's time to sit back and enjoy your success up to that point.
-Special Commentary & Presentation: We need to feel like the Playoffs are special and different. We need to know that reaching this point is a special thing.
Pro Bowl
The only thing I'm going suggest for this is for the players to have their own teams helmet during the Pro Bowl game.
Super Bowl
No extra suggestions for this. Presentation could always be improved, however.
Beginning of Off-Season
-Coaches: As it stands right now, coaches mean little-to-nothing to your team. Some have special attribute increases or decreases, but their playbook and schemes aren't automatically assigned to your team. Also, it doesn't give you the option of re-signing your coach. If their contract is up, then the coach is automatically unemployed. Teams need to be given the chance to re-sign their coaches. If the coach or team doesn't want to re-sign, that's ok, but that situation needs to be addressed. Also, coaches schemes and playbooks should follow them to whatever team they go to with the Head Coach have ultimate say on what schemes they actually use. It would also be great to see coach personalities (i.e. young and enthusiastic vs old and stoic vs middle aged and fiery)
-Relocation, Expansion, and Updates: If you choose to relocate your team, you should be able to type in the name of any city, instead of just choosing from a list of 20 or so. Expansion to the NFL, while tricky to implement and keep things even such as schedules, it should be available to explore. This is where customization comes in the most. A team creator similart to what Backbreaker offered should be present to give the user the feeling of personalization. You should also be able to fully customize Divisions to properly locate existing NFL teams and expand Divisions and/or Conferences. Updates like creating a new stadium or changing the design of a uniform should not required relocations, and should not require you to use a generic logo as opposed to the actual teams logo.
-Retired Jersey Numbers: This is a feature that NFL Fever used that I always thought brought a special dynamic to the respect of veterans. Instead of trading for nothing but young, fast players, it made me want to cultivate a long term relationship with special players. Set a cap on the amount of numbers that are retired to that people reserve their retired jerseys for only the most special of players.
-Restricted Free Agents: This is pretty self explanitory. It wouldn't hurt to include a glossary of off-season terms like Sony does with MLB The Show to explain to those who don't fully understand RFA.
-Rookie Scouting: I believe strongly that we should be able to "work out" rookies, meaning running them through drills and seeing HOW they play. Especially with player tendencies being introduced this year, we need to see what they do in certain situations. I'm not talking about seeing a bunch of successful plays, I'm talking about putting a QB in an all out blitz situation and seeing how he handles it. I want to see change of direction from RB's. If we can't get a visual, then we need detailed scouting reports with plusses and minuses and side notes about the players college career and personality.
-Mock Drafts and Big Boards: Since putting together our own Big Boards would take FOREVER, have an analyst put together his Big Board and go off of that. It would also be nice to see a Pre-Draft Special show where that same analyst reveals his first round mock draft and explain his concerns about certain players.
-Draft: The draft is something that needs a lot of love. Presentation-wise, I think all 1st round draft picks should be announced by the Commissioner and there needs to be a cutscene of that player in a suit holding up that team's jersey. The rest of the rounds just need Radio City Music Hall as a background, and someone announcing "team-x is now on the clock". Also, we need to be able to trade next years draft picks.
-Post-Draft Special Show: Another show with the Draft analyst, this time breaking down the trades, reaches, and draft grades.
Other Franchise Notes:
-Contract Holdouts
-Special Holiday Presentation
-Player and Coach relationships + Ties
# 1
ven0m43 @ May 8
I really want madden to allow to change teams after a few seasons, like NCAA does. Maybe like a GM mode or something like that. I want to be able to start with a team and build them up, and then switch to another team and rebuild them.
# 2
LegendRyder @ May 8
Excellent list.I would LOVE these additions, and they're not far fetched either. These are mostly things that were in previous MADDEN's or other football games.
# 3
DavidmOrtiz15 @ May 9
That would be neat, hope this is along somewhere in the 100+ new features.
# 5
rdelizo35 @ May 9
Awesome writeup. I'm a huge Franchise guy myself and these additions would be most welcome.
# 6
romeoo32 @ May 9
I like it brings sone realism to the game. I hope this all could be added someday soon.
# 7
Warehouse @ May 9
Couldn't agree more. All this stuff seems perfectly reasonable and not too hard to add to the game. This stuff should have been there for years.
# 8
BSull532 @ May 10
Great, well thought out list. I like the idea of the pre-season press conference. Bringing the media into franchise mode could add a deeper level of immersion.
# 9
mwjr @ May 10
Great list. One thing I'd add: I want to be able to upgrade my current stadium or build a new one, and control the prices for concessions, upgrades, upkeep, etc. Essentially, as GM, I want to be able to manage the budget as well.
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