If you’re a fan of Madden's franchise mode, then more than likely you have a list of items you would like to see added or tweaked -- most of us do. That list of items will obviously differ and vary widely depending on whom you ask because we all have different perspectives, likes and wants when it comes to our gaming utopia. For myself though, I have a pretty specific set of changes and additions that I feel would dramatically expand the Madden CFM experience, and add much needed depth and longevity.

Make Preseason Mean Something

As it is right now, the preseason in Madden is basically a waste of time for most, myself included. Sure, it’s fun to play with some of the newly signed free agents, and the rookies of course, but one can do that in Play Now mode or practice. What I would like to see added is the ability to have storylines and real position battles take place.

I mean if you’re going to label yourself as an NFL football simulation, than let’s try to do just that -- simulate the real NFL experience. Let us have practice scenarios where two wide receivers are battling for the final spot and have to prove themselves (or not) in a practice scenario mode. Or let's see how two linebackers can defend the pass or prove their tackling ability. I’m not asking for some wildly lengthy experience that would consume hours of our time, but simply a mode that allows us to see the pain and anguish that these players go through while battling to make a 53-man roster. If anything, let the user designate the players who are fighting for those positions, and put an emphasis on them and see how it plays out.

Full Defensive Assignment Ability

I know this has been mentioned by the developers, but please for the love of all that is holy, give the user the ability to fully control the defensive unit in game and out. If I want to make sure that Joe Haden, Richard Sherman or Darrelle Revis is constantly on the number one receiver, I should be able to do that. If I want to double team an opponent’s best wide out, I should be able to do that without having to manipulate the system in order to achieve that.

This is a basic necessity and need in order to play consistently good defense in the NFL, and it’s the same in the Madden franchise. Let’s be honest here, are you ever going to see a Darrin Walls or Brent Grimes line up against Calvin Johnson half the game? That answer would be no, unless you’re playing Madden of course.

Score Ticker

I know this seems like such a trivial item to add, but a large percentage of Madden users really want this to be part of Madden 17 CFM and beyond, and so do I. If we want to take it a bit further than just a score ticker with your CFM league scores scrolling at the bottom, how about a break in the game to show the scores from around the league, and how they may be impacting the user's team and its current playoff run?

If it’s Week 13 and I am a game out of the final Wild Card spot, and the same with two other teams, wouldn’t the immersion factor increase dramatically if I were aware of what’s going on elsewhere in the league? I understand this would really only work for an offline CFM, but it would still be a welcomed addition.

Presentation

While the overall presentation has improved with Madden 16, it still slacks behind Sony’s MLB: The Show, and far behind the NBA 2K franchise. If we're being honest with ourselves, I think after some time with the game, we start to press buttons to quickly navigate through the cutscenes and such. However, I feel like that happens because it’s boring and repetitive. The obvious “must have” is a pregame, halftime, and postgame show that has some guts to it and is dynamic enough that it makes us want to watch.

During pregame, I absolutely would watch players walking through the tunnel from the locker room, similar to what EA’s NHL franchise used to do. Halftime isn't bad, but there's still bugs and the visuals really need to be improved so better replay shots are used during the highlight reel. Also this would be a good time to take us quickly around the league.

Let’s not stop there though, either take the time to record a much larger spectrum of lines with Phil and Jim, or start over with a new group. The truth is that most sports commentary gets repetitive, but that is because the approach to it is often a secondary thought. The real answer here is to have at minimum two commentary teams, and much like NCAA Basketball 10 from EA, allow the user to choose between them. Lastly, I would like to see a pregame showcase of a player to watch that includes season stats, and maybe some highlights from prior games included.

Coaching Carousel

Since 2003 there has been a total of 83 new head coaches in the NFL, with only 14 of them having prior head coaching experience. I know you can fire coaches in Madden and hire them, but it is so arbitrary and has very little impact on the game. I would love to see a system where if you hire certain coordinators or prior head coaches, your team's strengths and weaknesses are actually impacted.

If I hire a Vic Fangio or Rod Marinelli, my defense should get a boost, right? If I am playing as a head coach running the team and get let go, I would love to have a chance to prove myself with another team either as a head coach or coordinator. A realistic coaching carousel is an absolute must in any football game, and the game would inch closer to a true sim if it were actually included and implemented correctly.


These are just a few ideas that I feel could help take Madden 17 to the next level, and trust me when I say there are many more. I am enjoying Madden 16 CFM with the improvements, but there is still a ways to go. I know the current development group seems to be very open to change and implementation, and let’s hope that trend continues. What changes or additions would you like to see in Maddens CFM going forward?