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Upon further review of the video, it looks like Coca Cola Zero Ad is part of the video loop and not part of the game. After last years use of the overlay Ads in the game, I am very sensitive to use of the Ads in the game, especially after all of the trouble I went through to avoid them (disable internet on the 360 so Ads couldn't be served/displayed), and avoiding online (Ads and gameplay were reasons for avoiding online).
There's nothing wrong with employing Ads in the game if they represent what we see during a game. Ads on billboards, Ads on a score drive, or even as an introduction by the broadcasters when starting the game, coming back from a timeout, or starting a quarter.
My apologies to the readers of the blog for getting my facts incorrect about the Coca Cola Zero Ad and to Ian Cummings for tweeting him about my frustration. In the future I will take more time to make sure my facts are correct before posting a blog of this nature.
There are few times in my life I have been this angry over a game, but here I am, angry as all hell. EA Sports has made a point to put out blogs, communicate on the forums, and tell us, the gamers/consumers, that they are listening to us. They tell us that the fans input is important, and that their goal is to replicate what we see in football games. What we see on Sunday (or Saturday, as the case may be).
Last years Overlay Ads in Madden sparked a huge fan backlash that spilled over into every Madden forum on the internet. So surely this year, since they are listening to their fans, gamers wouldn't experience the same misuse of Ads in their games.
EA Sports tells fans what they want to hear on the blogs/forums, while ignoring their complaints/requests and continuing to do whatever the company desires if they believe it will improve their bottom line, even if it means bastardizing their own product.
If EA Sports is listening to their fans, then why has NCAA 2011 introduced Ad overlays between plays? It has nothing to do with the game and looks horrible to boot. The Coca Cola Zero Ad you see in the top right of the image below is the Ad that was being shown between gameplay.
EA Sports - Don't tell the fans/gamers you are listening to them and then do something completely different. That Coca Cola Ad above for NCAA 2011 shows that you have ignored the fans of your game. Worse, you have betrayed their trust in the process.
# 2
Valdarez @ Apr 22
I have followed a lot of the blogs and their forum posts in the hopes of a better game. Not to mention contributed a lot of feedback / ideas, thus investing my own time & effort. Right now I feel that investment and the trust I have instilled in them has been betrayed. As for the reasons, they are many now:
1. Their use of Ads last year in Madden 11 really distracted from the game as they actually overlayed the gameplay drawing the players eyes away during key setup time (this is covered in the link for Overlay Ads in Madden).
2. Their use of Ads violates their own purported mission statement of 'everything you see on Sunday'.
3. Consumers typically pay for a product so their are no Ads, or they are bombarded with Ads for a free product. EA is taking advantage of their exclusive licenses for consumers who have no choice for a game, but doing both.
4. They tell their fans they are listening to them, yet even after all of the forum problems with Ads last year, we still see them in a new game this year.
Definitely agree on the missing features, which is going to be worse this year because if I remember correctly they are dropping PS2 support this year.
1. Their use of Ads last year in Madden 11 really distracted from the game as they actually overlayed the gameplay drawing the players eyes away during key setup time (this is covered in the link for Overlay Ads in Madden).
2. Their use of Ads violates their own purported mission statement of 'everything you see on Sunday'.
3. Consumers typically pay for a product so their are no Ads, or they are bombarded with Ads for a free product. EA is taking advantage of their exclusive licenses for consumers who have no choice for a game, but doing both.
4. They tell their fans they are listening to them, yet even after all of the forum problems with Ads last year, we still see them in a new game this year.
Definitely agree on the missing features, which is going to be worse this year because if I remember correctly they are dropping PS2 support this year.
# 3
Bgamer90 @ Apr 22
Really? lol...
I'm sorry but I personally feel that your are overreacting. People did complain about the ads but never to the point in which you are currently making it out to be.
Also, the part in which the Coca Cola ad pops up looks like a tutorial vid and not something that's in game. Heck, the Coca Cola Zero logo could have just been on the screen just as an ad for the event that was taking place there.
And even so, how does it show that they are ignoring fans of the game? If you look at just about any wishlist you rarely see someone saying "removal of in game ads". Like I said, there wasn't really that much backlash about them as you are making it out to be. People care much more about animation/gameplay issues... if EA does do things to both Madden 11 & NCAA 11 to address animation and gameplay then how could you say they have [b]completely [/B ]abandoned/ignored/betrayed their fans?
I'm sorry but I personally feel that your are overreacting. People did complain about the ads but never to the point in which you are currently making it out to be.
Also, the part in which the Coca Cola ad pops up looks like a tutorial vid and not something that's in game. Heck, the Coca Cola Zero logo could have just been on the screen just as an ad for the event that was taking place there.
And even so, how does it show that they are ignoring fans of the game? If you look at just about any wishlist you rarely see someone saying "removal of in game ads". Like I said, there wasn't really that much backlash about them as you are making it out to be. People care much more about animation/gameplay issues... if EA does do things to both Madden 11 & NCAA 11 to address animation and gameplay then how could you say they have [b]completely [/B ]abandoned/ignored/betrayed their fans?
# 4
Valdarez @ Apr 22
I didn't over exaggerate the effect on the forums. Go pick any Madden forum and you'll find complaints.
You're right though. It looks like I jumped the gun on this one. The Ad actually appears after the game and appears to be part of the video loop instead of part of the game. Not sure what to do with the blog now since I have already written it. I'll post an edit at the top of it as a retraction.
You're right though. It looks like I jumped the gun on this one. The Ad actually appears after the game and appears to be part of the video loop instead of part of the game. Not sure what to do with the blog now since I have already written it. I'll post an edit at the top of it as a retraction.
# 5
boritter @ Apr 22
I find it comical that you disconnected your 360 to avoid ads. For me it's a lot more offensive when my FB runs away from defenders instead of blocking them!
# 6
RGiles36 @ Apr 22
Amazing! Wait -- let me first say that I do not know if/how in-game ads will be implemented in M11. I don't *think* that kind of stuff is implemented by the time we play the early builds, so I have no clue.
But WOW! We all find trivial things to gripe about (YES this is trivial), but not to the extent of anger LOL. In-game ads? Really? Even the screenshot that you posted shows the ad is not in the way.
Bgamer is right and I mentioned this several months ago; you're taking a personal issue that few gamers have complained about and magnifying it into some game-breaking catastrophe. If I scour through the first 5 pages of the OS Madden forum, I bet there is not one thread dedicated to in-game ads. And 5 pages is being generous LOL! I know Pastapadre did a write up on a few months ago, but I don't think even he beat it to death as you do.
My only complaint about in-game ads in M10 is that they're more apparent than stat updates. The stats pop up momentarily in the score hub, while the ads have this nice pretty graphic that pop up conveniently out of the score bug. It's backwards IMO.
Other than that, this is a non-issue for the overwhelming majority of Madden gamers. Granted, I don't visit a lot of other sites. But I'm confident that at other respectable forums, in-game ads are nowhere near the top of the list and in no way serve as "proof" that EA doesn't listen.
But WOW! We all find trivial things to gripe about (YES this is trivial), but not to the extent of anger LOL. In-game ads? Really? Even the screenshot that you posted shows the ad is not in the way.
Bgamer is right and I mentioned this several months ago; you're taking a personal issue that few gamers have complained about and magnifying it into some game-breaking catastrophe. If I scour through the first 5 pages of the OS Madden forum, I bet there is not one thread dedicated to in-game ads. And 5 pages is being generous LOL! I know Pastapadre did a write up on a few months ago, but I don't think even he beat it to death as you do.
My only complaint about in-game ads in M10 is that they're more apparent than stat updates. The stats pop up momentarily in the score hub, while the ads have this nice pretty graphic that pop up conveniently out of the score bug. It's backwards IMO.
Other than that, this is a non-issue for the overwhelming majority of Madden gamers. Granted, I don't visit a lot of other sites. But I'm confident that at other respectable forums, in-game ads are nowhere near the top of the list and in no way serve as "proof" that EA doesn't listen.
# 8
Valdarez @ Apr 22
@boritter That's a tough one. I'm pretty critical of the gameplay elements on the boards and have created several in depth videos to that extent, though I haven't blogged too much about them. As to which one is worse. I'd have to say the Ads as they are more intentional than the lousy gameplay.
@rgiles36 My initial take away on the Ad was that it was being displayed between every play. How many threads were locked down on OS? How many people were banned over it? Just because it's shut down on this site, doesn't mean it's not an issue. You can't use a site/forum that locks down protests as evidence of the lack of angst. Visit other forums. The anger over the Ads was displayed on every Madden forum I visited. If you have gamers complaining about something, and EA does it again (notice the 'if'), then yes, that would have been 'proof'.
@stlstuidos189 Yeah, I can't believe I misread the video like that, goes to show how sensitive I am over the whole ordeal. I think a lot of it has to do with being a consumer held hostage to both EA Sports and the NFL with no real choice of what game I purchase if I want to play a NFL game. Being held hostage and then slapped in the face with online Ads does not make for a happy consumer.
@rgiles36 My initial take away on the Ad was that it was being displayed between every play. How many threads were locked down on OS? How many people were banned over it? Just because it's shut down on this site, doesn't mean it's not an issue. You can't use a site/forum that locks down protests as evidence of the lack of angst. Visit other forums. The anger over the Ads was displayed on every Madden forum I visited. If you have gamers complaining about something, and EA does it again (notice the 'if'), then yes, that would have been 'proof'.
@stlstuidos189 Yeah, I can't believe I misread the video like that, goes to show how sensitive I am over the whole ordeal. I think a lot of it has to do with being a consumer held hostage to both EA Sports and the NFL with no real choice of what game I purchase if I want to play a NFL game. Being held hostage and then slapped in the face with online Ads does not make for a happy consumer.
# 9
adembroski @ Apr 24
Very well handled, Valdarez. I think you chose the perfect way to retract it with honor
# 10
shadthedad @ Apr 24
Gaming's an art! And the fact of the matter is that those ads did distract the intuitive gamer. There's a huge difference between an endzone ad and a pop-up ad.
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I've always enjoyed your blogs eventhough I have never commented. I just want to say that I can't believe you are that upset. You wrote a blog about the Madden Store and ads before. I just want to know was there anytime where they said they weren't going to do this? There have been many things the fans have requested and have not received yet, just wondering why you are sooo upset over this particular item. I mean there are still features that the PS2 had that NexGen still doesn't have, but that's for another blog ... lol. Great Read.