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OS Roundtable: If You Could Add One Feature To Madden...

If you could add one feature/do one thing for the Madden NFL series, what would it be?

Bob Kollars: Online Co-Op seasons. If EA would implement the ability to have three or four guys on the same team, and run through an entire season on the same team playing different positions, it would take this title to the next level, for me at least. As much as I liked this years title, if EA would add this feature, it would add some much needed longevity to next year's game. Online leagues have been a nice addition, but they largely still have somewhat of a disconnected feeling to them.

By adding online co-op seasons it would allow a group of friends to enjoy the experience truly together and further the "gaming together" idea. Take a look at the popularity of FIFA Pro Clubs/OTP, and the ability to play a season together, and work your way up through divisions. This mode in FIFA is wildly popular, and I believe it would be even more so in Madden.

Matthew Coe: If you've played NBA 2K14 on next gen consoles then you know where I'm going here. The MyCareer mode is the highlight of the game in my opinion, and in an era of increasingly multi-player features being added, I would welcome a single-player story driven career mode in Madden. The current implementation within Connected Franchise Mode just isn't very engaging. I'd call it something like Madden: Path to the NFL.

Imagine working out at the NFL Draft Combine and then hearing (ala NBA2K14's Real Voice) Adam Schefter, Chris Mortenson, Todd McShay, and Mel Kiper Jr. break down your strengths and weaknesses and then project your draft position. Then the tension of the draft and where you might go. Dealing with the introductory press conference, rookie OTAs, training camp, pre-season, and trying to make a difference on an NFL team. An NFL career mode that is done in the same vein as MyCareer would be a huge selling point. Real Head Coach voices, NFL personalities all weighing in on social media, team mate disagreements, dissension, earning your coordinator's trust, I mean think of all the intriguing possibilities that are there.

Steve Noah: I'd like to see more jostling between the receivers and defensive backs. We need to see more animations when fighting for position, more hand fighting and animations to show players battling for the ball. I'd even go a step further with it and implement defensive players tugging at receiver jerseys (of course we'd love to see more penalties, but that's another subject) or getting their feet tangled up. We need incomplete passes because of good defensive play, not because a receiver or defender drops the ball. If a receiver is going over the middle and gets obliterated, we should definitely see a few more drops in those situations. Bring in different animations for tall receivers vs. short defensive backs and vice versa. Make player size matter more. Simply put, we need more ways to improve the defensive side of the ball, as the game feels too offensive friendly.

Jayson Young: Rather than piling on more unnecessary back-of-the-box features like this year's Precision Modifier, my wish is that Madden NFL 15 simply fixes the many broken features that are already included in the game.

Even after three title updates, auto substitutions still do not work in Madden NFL 25's franchise mode. Formation-specific substitutions continue to reset after every game instead of being permanently saved. Injuries rarely occur away from the ball, making offensive linemen invulnerable. Additionally, if a team only has two quarterbacks on its depth chart, both QBs become immune to injury. Many sliders, such as quarterback accuracy, interceptions and pass coverage/pass reaction, seem to have little impact on gameplay. The holding slider appears to only affect passing plays and kick returns, as holds are seldom called on designed running plays. Faulty tie-breaking logic still places the wrong teams in the playoffs.

With franchise sales figures continuing to decline, Madden's long-term health on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would be best served by taking a year or two to tackle the series' longstanding issues before EA Tiburon attempts to fit any more Jenga blocks onto the trembling tower of code that is Madden NFL 25.

Caley Roark: While it might be completely superficial for some, I'd welcome a complete overhaul of Madden's presentation. The context that authentic and meaningful highlights and pre/post-game packages add help create a true "universe" that I can fully invest in.

While NFL 2K5 did it best for football, Madden could take cues from the NBA 2K series and recent NCAA Football games. Specifically, I'd love to see narrated half-time and post-game recaps, complete with score updates from around the league.

I'm sure EA could put either ESPN or NFL Network branding to use, to create a weekly highlight show that we'd want to watch (for me, the twitter feeds aren't getting it done).

If none of that is feasible, at least they could put in reaction shots that aren't canned (and repeated) animations but rather part of the natural flow of the action on the field.

Zachary Arthur: This one is very easy for me. I would absolutely love for Madden to put in a Create-A-Play feature. We all feel like we have what it takes to be that next great coach, and Madden has always had such an opportunity to put in Create-A-Play and let its players see how good they really are when it comes to strategy.

I have a world of ideas in my head when it comes to plays, and I would love the opportunity to see them on the virtual gridiron.

Chris Sanner: All of the above features are great, but the biggest thing this series (and all sports games) needs is a full slate of sliders which not only work, but let you actually define your on-field experience. I'd like to think being able to adjust and tweak different parts of the game would be very possible, allowing you to set diffculty levels for each individual piece of the game -- to allow for the best fan to fan experience as possible.

 

What about you? If you could add one feature/do one thing for the Madden NFL series, what would it be?


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Member Comments
# 21 braves_94 @ 02/10/14 06:19 PM
I want a more intelligent throwing system. If QB's like Manning or Brady throw it in tight coverage, at least throw it to a spot where the receiver can only get it, specially if there is no pressure in his face. I want to see more incompletes when throwing it is tight coverage and less interceptions. Maybe institute more a lead that allows you to throw in the area of the receiver, but incomplete. I'm sick of every pass being touched unless you have a streaking receiver going down field and the CPU decides now you're going to over-throw it. And I want to see the right analogue used as a hit stick. And not the arcade-y hit stick of old. But so pressing down on it will provide with a tackle. Hit it too early, and pentalties like face masking and horse-collar will come in play. Hit it late to encourage more fumbles. Or perfect timing for a well executed tackle. Bring some skill back into defense. Make it about timing. Each tackle rating can have their own window. An all pro MLB will have a bigger window than a run of the mill corner back. People you know you love these ideas.
 
# 22 Gotmadskillzson @ 02/10/14 06:29 PM
I would prefer them bringing back the ability to tackle low or tackle high. Now all tackles are up high. There need to be a precision modifier button for defense. Have it for tackles, have it for swat attempts. There is no excuse for it not being in the game when football games had various ways to tackle depending on the button combination you pressed back on the PS2.

It would add more variety to the game.

1. Tackle high should be high risk and high reward. The reward being you separating the player from the ball. But the risk being either a face mask penalty or targeting penalty.

2. Tackle around the waist option.

3. Tackle low around the legs option.

I always thought it was funny how they highly marketed the all new hurdle system this year for NCAA and Madden but yet 99% of all CPU tackles are up high so you very rarely get to use it.
 
# 23 24 @ 02/10/14 06:32 PM
Create A Draft Class : With NCAA Football becoming a thing of the past this would be a huge feature. Take a page out of NBA 2k's book and make this happen. As much as I love all of the fun cpu generated classes I would like to create my own every once in a while.
 
# 24 malky @ 02/10/14 06:35 PM
CPU VS CPU IN FRANCHISE, took it out, put it back in please
 
# 25 piffbernd @ 02/10/14 06:41 PM
I like what Chris Sanner and Jason Young said in the roundtable. The joke is EA could patch that. I don't understand why EA didn't make a poll with 3 - 5 features and the best is in the next Game.
 
# 26 Iceman87GT @ 02/10/14 06:42 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Segagendude
What's that got to do with the NFL and Madden??
I can see the appeal in having the CFL, and they have created a CFL version of Madden in the past (it was a project of some of the developers as a training exercise or something like that I believe I read it on Kotaku, but I'm certain I found it via a link on this site). It would get some use from people (Canadians), and the ability to have a makeshift Minor League in the game would be great although unrealistic (as rarely does the NFL sign players from the CFL).

If it didn't mean taking up developing time I'd be all for it, but incorporating the CFL would undoubtedly cut into developer time, and would mean further money being put towards securing player, team, and league rights. Its something that would be good to see if Madden ever produces a game on the level of NBA 2K11 (where it is borderline perfect and you struggle to find a way to improve the game), but I think we are several years away from a scenario like that being remotely possible.
 
# 27 Iceman87GT @ 02/10/14 06:50 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by 24
Create A Draft Class : With NCAA Football becoming a thing of the past this would be a huge feature. Take a page out of NBA 2k's book and make this happen. As much as I love all of the fun cpu generated classes I would like to create my own every once in a while.
They said they were working on a way to make this possible this past year, obviously that didn't work out. I hope they haven't abandon that effort and that they will have support for NCAA 14 Draft Classes in Madden 15/26.

At the very least the next Madden needs to have a way to create Draft Classes that can be shared, while simultaneously working to improve the process by which draft classes are generated (I've heard reports that the difference between classes from one franchise to the next are the names, that the gems remain the same no matter what and it becomes a matter of discovering what the gem is named in year 1 of one CFM vs. year 1 of another CFM).
 
# 28 Bryzine21 @ 02/10/14 07:05 PM
I agree with Jason. Fix what is already there. especially penalties and special teams.
 
# 29 khaliib @ 02/10/14 07:34 PM
Since College is no longer being sold, I would remove modes outside of Play Now and Owner Mode and inject Playable Bowl games moving away from current format dealing with incoming draftees.

The static way of "Scouting" needs to be revamped from pressing a button just to receive predefined generated data and given some life.

This would open a door for additional $$$ to be made via DLC College Packs (which we know EA loves to make money).

The current Storylines idea would gel perfectly with this concept, as well as adding some additional value to the game.

One can always dream, but back to reality now!!!!

Since it was OK for NFL teams to be exchanged for some fictional teams with some really questionable uniform color choices, at least make an attempt to catch up to all the other games and provide an editable aspect that's suggest you're serious about it.

At minimum, allow Draft Classes from prior NCAA '13 and/or '14 to be used in the game (esp if you're really not going to make any improvements to the drafting aspect)
 
# 30 Stikskillz @ 02/10/14 07:50 PM
Dynamic injuries within CFM. Allow teams to play with injured players, affecting ratings and thus ability throughout the course of a season. Use percentages that could be tied into ratings (i.e. 'X' player has 100 SPD, but is dealing with a lingering hamstring strain, making him 85% health, causing his speed to be an 85). And resting them would benefit 'X' player so their injury could fully heal, but AWR and/or PRC could decline slightly since he has been out any number of weeks.
 
# 31 UH53 @ 02/10/14 08:00 PM
Something as simple as the Weather Channel implementation to get live weather like NCAA had in the play now mode. Every now and then I enjoy playing the games of the week and having 65 degree weather in Lambeau or any other cold stadium because I don't want to play in snow is stupid, especially when NCAA has had this feature for a few years. Also I'd like individual player edits like cleat colors, cold weather options like the head gear, individual sleeves, etc. I know these are aesthetic features but they've been sorely missed in this game for a long while. NBA 2K, Live, and FIFA all encompass these features.
 
# 32 blackngoldfan @ 02/10/14 08:15 PM
**AMAZING PRESENTATION**
I know this would NEVER EVER happen, but I would like to see ALL networks that are involved with the NFL in the game, including network specific commentators. NFC games on FOX, AFC games on CBS, Sunday night games on NBC, Monday night games on ESPN, and Thursday night games on The NFL Network. During exhibition games, choose your preferred network.

Oh yeah, it would be nice to BRING BACK custom cameras and in-game saves.
 
# 33 Gotmadskillzson @ 02/10/14 08:20 PM
In game saves are already in the game.
 
# 34 atc43 @ 02/10/14 08:28 PM
Lol Im with Profit...just allow us to mod the game. That would be all we'd ever need.
 
# 35 shaneralphie1993 @ 02/10/14 08:39 PM
Why can't they just fix the problems we have for the current game before adding new features? I can't get a Connected Franchise started, because it keeps freezing up. I played for 2 and a half hours yesterday to get a Browns rebuild project started. I started altering my roster by signing free agents, cutting players, and adding to my trade block. Then I simmed a week and did a few trade block offers, then checked free agents again. I continued simming, checking, and signing until simming to week one. Then I tried to go to practice mode to check out my new team. It froze trying to load. Wouldn't do anything after that. I lost everything.

I decided it was a fluke and tried again this morning. Signed, Traded, Cut, and Simmed like I wanted too. Checked free agents on last time and it froze while changing positions.

Why can I not get this to work? Fix this EA!!!
 
# 36 SnakeEyez @ 02/10/14 08:56 PM
full staffs (OC, DC, etc)
 
# 37 Dewayneknicks @ 02/10/14 09:07 PM
I would love to see ESPN integration. I mean they have the license and they really don't use it at all.
 
# 38 TreyIM2 @ 02/10/14 09:26 PM
Jayson said it all. Hmph...then Caley said more. The rest, eh. IMPROVE THE DAMN GAMEPLAY AND IMPROVE ON WHAT I SEE TO BETTER CORRELATE WITH WHEN I WATCH ACTUAL NFL FOOTBALL GAME!!! Tired of all these extra bullet points when their core football game needs a ton of work...
 
# 39 CyberRudy25 @ 02/10/14 09:30 PM
Sportscentre Show in online league and offline leagues. I want a recap show ith all teams and trades and rumor and draft picks. I want Chris Bergman, Mel Kiper and Erin Andrews. We should be able to upload our highlights to madden connected website and be able to watch online leagues on line from Madden webiste instead of twitch. I think Battlefield the uploaded highlights to a website. EA does Batttlefield. So I assume ut would not be hard to do. If another online league game is happening we can see or view game highlights while playing my game. Full media blitz. Billboards, radio station, magazines, twitter, facebook, website, nfl network. , pagers, smartphones, movie scripts. rap alblum, cars, mansion, condos. airplanes buses. women strip clubs, suspension. drug testing. Have a rookie into a star. Music celebrity at halftime. local broadcast and national broadcast.
 
# 40 wampler13 @ 02/10/14 09:31 PM
It'd be great if there were a way to bring classic teams back.
 


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