Good Madden interview with lots of Owner Mode information

Kodos · 06-26-2003, 04:30 PM

Even a reference to Jim.

Madden Interview.

mrsimperless · 06-26-2003, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Strauser: Yep, we do. Soo...In Owner Mode, we have had to change and I think this is really going to appeal to the hardcore football gamer out there.
FBG: Oh yea it will!
Strauser: We have taken the whole metaphor of beyond the GM, beyond the coach and now you are the owner. It's three big basic things that all kind of interact with one another.
FBG: Man, I'm gonna tear into this stuff, I'm tellin' you right now.
FBG: I have played Front Office Football.
Strauser: Yep. We didn't personally work with Front Office FB but we know the guy who did it. We actually published that game for a couple years.
FBG: Yep, I know.
Strauser: I'd be lying if I said we didn't look at that game, we didn't look at Football Mogul, games like that when we designed this feature out.
FBG: Right, I hear ya'.
Strauser: I think those games were missing aspects. We have put in everything we could possibly put in and then, obviously being able to play the game along, you know?
FBG: Oh yea.
Strauser: Those games were kinda fun to play with. Some of the logic behind that stuff, player progression, player movemenet, all that kind of stuff, we wanted to do different. So what we have here is sort of obvious, familiar but unique.

We have fan support and ticket prices. You have your revenue and wins and losses on the field. Everything you change kinda has something to do with the other. So, the better you are, the higher fan support you will have, the more you can charge for your ticket prices. The worse you are, the less fan support and you can't charge high for your tickets.
FBG. Right. Arizona.
Strauser: You raise your ticket prices, your fan support drops, you know? It's all inter-related. That first thing is very, very key.
Strauser: So we have gone through every Stadium, each team, tried to get the most accurate numbers as best we could. There is some survey data out there. We wanted it to also be something that is fun to play with. We have unique concession menu's for each team.
FBG: Aww, man!
Strauser: So for Cleveland, let's see what we have for Cleveland, Bratwurst probably.
FBG: Chicken wings.
Strauser: We do have chicken wings in this actually. So Philly Cheese steaks in Philadelphia, stuff like that.
FBG: That's cool. People are gonna want to play this and not even play the game, know what I mean?
Strauser: Oh yea.
FBG: You guys have just nailed diehards for this area right here. Diehards will be simming away, sim through to play with all this. Very cool.
Strauser: You can do that for your ticket prices, concessions, merchandise, programs, hats, jerseys, all that stuff. You know? Different types of parking you can charge more for. Decide how you are going to spend your money on advertising. You can actually do Fan Appreciation Day which are giveaways and all this is just the stuff in season.

Sounds VERY intriguing. I still question whether or not they can do as good of a job with this franchise/owner mode though as a game dedicated to those aspects. And also, it would seem to me that that area of the game is more likely to contain bugs with all the number crunching, etc. And no patches for consoles...

bosshogg23 · 06-26-2003, 04:53 PM

Sounds like alot of improvements for the series.

Anyone else think that interview was gawd awful to try and read through? I dont know if it just wasnt edited enough or what but man.....

Calis · 06-26-2003, 04:56 PM

Boss, haven't read the whole thing yet, but read the quote here. I was just thinking, that's one of the most horrible sounding interviews I've ever read.

I'm actually frightened to read the rest.

Kodos · 06-26-2003, 05:03 PM

It's kind of sloppy, but it's almost more of a conversation that's about the game. I thought the abundance of info made it worthwhile to wade through.

Ksyrup · 06-26-2003, 05:13 PM

Is "FBG" the Stuart Scott of computer game reporting?

Kodos · 06-26-2003, 05:16 PM

FBG is as cool as the other side of the pillow, baby!

tucker342 · 06-26-2003, 05:31 PM

Good god owner mode sounds awesome. I wonder if it will be implimented corectly though...

tucker342 · 06-26-2003, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrsimperless
Sounds VERY intriguing. I still question whether or not they can do as good of a job with this franchise/owner mode though as a game dedicated to those aspects. And also, it would seem to me that that area of the game is more likely to contain bugs with all the number crunching, etc. And no patches for consoles...

You can get patches for XBox, because the XBox has a HD, people are able to download patches with XBox live, I doubt companies would take advantage of this though...

Bee · 06-26-2003, 05:55 PM

Bucc will finally get his cotton candy.

mrsimperless · 06-26-2003, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tucker342
You can get patches for XBox, because the XBox has a HD, people are able to download patches with XBox live, I doubt companies would take advantage of this though...

EA is not supporting XBOX live this year, so there will be no Madden patches on XBOX. Probably for PC, and maybe for PS2 as well.

Super Ugly · 06-26-2003, 06:13 PM

I really hope that it works. It sounds pretty amazing.

CHEMICAL SOLDIER · 06-26-2003, 08:37 PM

Its glad to see that FOF and Jim are getting a much deserved recognition .

QuikSand · 06-26-2003, 09:48 PM

So, this sounds good to everyone? Custom menus? Parking charges? Just who are the "diehards" that think this is what a career-style sports sim is all about?

ColtCrazy · 06-26-2003, 10:47 PM

Reading this, FBG sounds like he's more interested in what music is in the game than the actual gameplay itself. He didn't seem to care about owner mode at all. Kind of an idiot really.

The jury's out on this owner mode. I'll try it first, but I guess I can fall back on another mode if it stinks.

ColtCrazy · 06-26-2003, 10:54 PM

dola...there's a second page as well with this interesting quote:

Strauser: Yep, so it's kind of fun. It's pretty in depth. When you add up the whole thing, put everything together, it's more in depth than even Front Office Football was.

Kodos · 06-26-2003, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
So, this sounds good to everyone? Custom menus? Parking charges? Just who are the "diehards" that think this is what a career-style sports sim is all about?

I think it sounds good. I'm really excited, though more about building my own stadium and that kind of crap, and not so much setting the prices of wienies. Finally, I can rid the league of the hated domes! Especially for the Falcons.

Kodos · 06-27-2003, 04:46 AM

Just to add a little, I think it is cool that a console football game will finally factor in financial performance in deciding whether or not you are going to keep your job as GM. Your team can be doing decent enough on the field, but if you aren't putting fans in the seats, then you're likely headed for a firing. Assuming I can control multiple teams in owner mode (as I can in franchise mode in Madden 2003), I think it would be fun as a side project to my real franchise to see just how many Bengals fans I can drive even further into utter despair by raising ticket/parking/food prices to absurd levels while failing to field even a mildly competitive team. Also, the fact that they have modeled over 100 real American cities (including ones in Canada and Mexico) where part of what you'll be dealing with is a semi-realistic monetary situation based on the city you choose will also be interesting. Now, when I move a team, it entails more than just choosing from 4 or 5 generic pre-made stadiums and renaming the team the Rochester Snowstorms. Perhaps I decide to move the Bengals to Rochester and change their name/uniform in an attempt to erase this blight on the NFL's good name, but I have to stop and consider whether or not the team can ever be financially successful in a small market that is so close to the already established Buffalo Bills market. It sounds like I'd have a decent chance of getting fired if I did decide to try that. To me, that adds a whole new level of interest to the game. For years, I have wanted a game that basically mixes Madden's gameplay with the depth of FOF in terms of managing the entire franchise. It looks like this is a real attempt to do so by the leading franchise in the console football world. Personally, if I could only get one game during the next whole year, it would be Madden 2004. Who knows if they can pull the Owner Mode off well in their first attempt? I applaud them for trying. This could easily become my most-played game of all time. For all the EA-bashing that goes on around here, I think they deserve a lot of credit for pushing the envelope on the franchise mode here. Sure, setting the price for food might seem a little bit silly, but if it genuinely affects the financial health of my franchise, then I like having the option to set prices for everything as I see fit. Imagine - now I can charge poor Rochesterians six bucks a cup to drink the barely drinkable Gennessee Creme Ale from the local brewery. And then watch them sit through the typical horrid lake-effect snowstorms that always hit poor Rochester area dwellers starting in late September.

I also like the fact that they have all sorts of real-life coaches thrown into the game, including guys like Gary Kubiak who you can hire away from the Broncos to be your new head coach. Or maybe you're the Bengals and you decide that hiring the Panther's special teams coach to lead your entire team is your ticket to league domination. I just think this game sounds like it could have almost endless replay value in owner mode. I can't wait for the game to come. I'm glad that NCAA Football 2004 will be here in less than a month to help tide me over. I need my football fix!

cthomer5000 · 06-27-2003, 05:40 AM

Kodos is sounding like a paid endorsement for Madden these days.

condors · 06-27-2003, 06:43 AM

my biggest concern would be the sim engine

does it play out every play and come up with a detailed report i can look at?

I probally would have to make every team a "human" team and watch every game of every week play out play by play

i am not saying the game won't be fun or i won't get it but i see nothing changing the current "sim engine"

MIJB#19 · 06-27-2003, 06:46 AM

Yea, awe!

QuikSand · 06-27-2003, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kodos
Just to add a little, I think it is cool that a console football game will finally factor in financial performance in deciding whether or not you are going to keep your job as GM. Your team can be doing decent enough on the field, but if you aren't putting fans in the seats, then you're likely headed for a firing.

Do we have a sense that the situation you describe is fairly realistic? From the tiny bit I just read above, I got the sense that fan support was predominantly based on team success... suggesting that this whole "financial accountability" concept was going to be an elaborate mirage. (Win games, people watch, you're fine... lose games, people split, you're out... basically the same as having no financial model at all)

Super Ugly · 06-27-2003, 07:03 AM

Of course, I'll reserve judgment until I actually play the game, but I agree with Kodos when he says EA deserves applause for actually trying something new. It might not be 100% realistic, but then I don't think any video game will ever be able to fully capture the essence of real life sports.

My biggest problem with FOF has always been that after a few seasons, you begin to lose touch with all the players you see on the screen. The names you know retire, and you're left with so many random characters that you lose the ability to identify with them. I too have wished that Madden would one day bring the elements of FOF in, and it seems like they're taking a step in the right direction. They might not get it right this year, or even the next, but if they stick with it then that owner mode will set the standard for sports games.

Right now though, I'm just glad to see that they've abandoned their policy of using half-arsed music for the menus. Bon Jovi? Good Charlotte? Please ...

BucDawg40 · 06-27-2003, 07:57 AM

Isn't it true that you can only play ten seasons in career mode? If so, who cares how in-depth it is?

Calis · 06-27-2003, 08:05 AM

Nah, that was a nasty rumor, it's at least the 30 seasons from last year's, possibly more, I'm not certain.

This sounds pretty good, I have a lot of doubts of how well it be implemented, but hoping for the best!

Cards4ever · 06-27-2003, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuikSand
So, this sounds good to everyone? Custom menus? Parking charges? Just who are the "diehards" that think this is what a career-style sports sim is all about?

That's kind of what I was thinking QS. I would rather have the trade AI and the draft AI worked on and player progression, etc.

I don't want to be playing with parking prices and crap like that.

Honolulu_Blue · 06-27-2003, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cards4ever
That's kind of what I was thinking QS. I would rather have the trade AI and the draft AI worked on and player progression, etc.

I don't want to be playing with parking prices and crap like that.

Agreed.

Even back in the day when I played FOF I never really worried too much about money. I would always try to turn a profit, raise ticket prices when good, lower them when going through a rough patch, but at the end of the day I want a good trade AI, player progression, etc.

I would much rather have energy spent making the salary cap financials more complicated and offer more options than deciding between chicken wings or corndogs, Coke or Pepsi.

In a game where your player budget is constricted by a league imposed salary cap (NFL), the financial model and owner mode loses some. In the case where there is none, like in soccer or hockey, then it becomes much more important. Your team's financial success and the quality of your team are closely related. Be successful = more money = larger budget = better players = be successful, etc, etc.

BucDawg40 · 06-27-2003, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Calis
Nah, that was a nasty rumor, it's at least the 30 seasons from last year's,

Good -- It might be worth buying!

andy m · 06-27-2003, 08:45 AM

a lot of Champ Manager's "rival" sims tend to go overboard on this so-called off the field "depth" with things like fiddling around with individual advertising boards and club merchandise and all that crap. and there is a reason why CM is popular and all the rest of the games are boring.

cincyreds · 06-27-2003, 08:57 AM

10 seasons???

Only 10??

I will not be buying Madden if this is so.

I like a game that I can sit back and sim years and years.

I hope Total Pro Football turns to be the game that I and alot of us are looking for.

Anrhydeddu · 06-27-2003, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cards4ever
That's kind of what I was thinking QS. I would rather have the trade AI and the draft AI worked on and player progression, etc.

I don't want to be playing with parking prices and crap like that.

I fully agree with this. I really wish I could get rid of the urban legend about wanting cotton candy pricing.

I played Madden 2004 and at that simple level of "front office" management, I found myself basically ignoring that and concentrating on playing the game on-field.

Cards4ever · 06-27-2003, 10:21 AM

HB is right on with his comparison of the NFL and NHL, if this was a NHL game, then stuff like merchandising, etc would be more important, but the NFL being a capped, shared revenue sport makes alot of this stuff a waste of time. Avg Ticket price? Building stadiums? Fine, but keep out the choosing between wings or nachos.

Calis · 06-27-2003, 10:33 AM

Just for the folks who are questioning whether the franchise is only 10 years, Strauser says in the article that it is 30.

Quote:

Strauser: You also have tons of reports here as well. Attendance, fan support, expectations, by season, by year,30 year franchise still , you can do the whole thing there. Income, expenses. Tons and tons. I mean it gets freaky.

Furthermore, after reading through the article. I'm quite excited about getting my hands on this game, and I'm now positive that this guy should NEVER EVER conduct an interview again.

TroyF · 06-27-2003, 10:54 AM

My choice of purchase for a pro game this year comes down to gameplay. Period.

30 years? The dynasties I don't get into a lot generally last 30 years, much less the ones I really care about. I have zero desire to set the price of hot dogs and cotton candy. I have zero desire to worry about parking at my stadium.

If Madden wants my money this year, they'd better put out a better game than ESPN football ON the field. If not, I'm not going to give it a moments notice.

As it is, I'll probably be spending a great deal of time with .400 sports new football game (as well as FOF4 and the new hockey game with the CM engine, CM and whatever new game Jim decides to release) I usually go to the console for a break from that.

I give EA credit for trying new things, but I want to see an improvement on the field.

TroyF

mrsimperless · 06-27-2003, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by condors
my biggest concern would be the sim engine

does it play out every play and come up with a detailed report i can look at?

I probally would have to make every team a "human" team and watch every game of every week play out play by play

i am not saying the game won't be fun or i won't get it but i see nothing changing the current "sim engine"

I'm right there with you condors. Being a joystick jockey does absolutely nothing for me unless it's the occasional head-to-head match. The perfect game for me would be an FOF style game with a great sim-engine that provided you the option to watch any game you wanted in a realistic manner. And what would be REALLY great (since I don't have tons of time to sit around and watch Madden games on my TV 24/7) would be a weekly "Madden NFL Primetime". This would allow me to spend about an hour watching game highlights for every week of play. I would then get to see who the big playmakers were every week and become familiar with the rest of the league. I would of course watch my own game in its entirety. Add multiplayer to the mix where me and a couple of buddies can sit on the couch each controlling our own teams and you'd have the ultimate football experience.

Oh wait, I already have this! It's called real life! Thank god for the NFL. Seriously though, a game like what I described would be awesome. I'd pay upwards of 7 dollars for it.

Kodos · 06-27-2003, 12:00 PM

Just to deal with a couple of false rumors floating around out there:

a. Owner Mode is 30 seasons long, not 10.
b. Online play is free. There is no charge.

Sometimes I swear NFL2K fans are trying to put out false info about Madden in hopes of luring uninformed players over to their franchise.

It looks like some of the owner mode features may not be to everyone's tastes, which is fine, because you are never going to please everyone. They probably have the option to have the computer take care of any of those tasks that you find uninteresting, just as you can have the computer run the offseason if that's not your bag in franchise mode in Madden 2003. I happen to like the direction that they are taking. Hopefully they've done it well. To me, Madden is the best football game gameplay-wise, as well as franchise mode-wise. This year's installment looks to widen the gap for me. Though I have tried each incarnation of NFL 2k (now ESPN Football), I just can't get into it. Especially with that damn charge up meter... I will likely give it a trial rental again this season, since it is supposed to be much improved this year.

Oh, and EA is paying me well...

I heart EA.

QuikSand · 06-27-2003, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kodos
I heart EA.

How nice for you.

Kodos · 06-27-2003, 12:39 PM

QuikSand hearts horseracing sims.

Canadian Football Guy · 06-27-2003, 01:01 PM

This sounds amazing. 30 years is cool but I still wish you could go longer like FOF. I mean if you buy the PC version there should be no reason why you can not go longer than 30 years. Right?

Kodos · 06-27-2003, 01:34 PM

I dunno. I'm getting the PS2 version, so I don't follow the other versions so much.

Marmel · 06-27-2003, 01:54 PM

Fanboy.

Kodos · 06-27-2003, 02:04 PM

Fanboys blow!

Get it?!?

Marmel · 06-27-2003, 02:07 PM

MizzouRah · 06-28-2003, 01:43 AM

I'll probably get Madden just so I can see my College recruits get drafted by an NFL team.

It would be nice if players from NCAA 2004 could enter either game, be it Madden or FB. I think ESPN FB might surprise a few more people this year, although I bought Madden right off the bat and waited until I stumbled on NFL2k3 for $10. I just couldn't get into NFL2k3 like I did Madden.

I think alot of us are Maddenized and it's hard to play anything else. ?

Todd

Kodos · 06-28-2003, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MizzouRah

I think alot of us are Maddenized and it's hard to play anything else. ?

Todd

This could be true. Each time I try the 2k series (I've tried each incarnation), I've found myself hating the playbooks and that damn charge-up arrow. Also those pasted on faces creep me out.

I can't remember if they fixed that for last year or not...

ColtCrazy · 06-28-2003, 02:08 PM

I got into NFL2k series when I had a Dreamcast before I got my PS2(which I eventually traded in for my beloved Xbox) Madden's first try on PS2 was somewhat disappointing, and I quickly got hooked at how innovative 2k was. However, once I got my Xbox, I bought both games. I played the 2k version (both 2002 and 2003) first, and burned out on it in a couple of weeks. With Madden, I can play again and again. heck, I still play 2003 and probably will until NCAA comes out. It's just got better replay value I think....though I might end up getting ESPN football if it gets good ratings. The one that really disappointed me was Fever2003. I bought 2002 for $10 after the Super Bowl and loved it. 2003 was a major letdown. Not even going to look at it this year, seems everything I've read about it is for online play....which usually means other things get overlooked.

GrantDawg · 06-28-2003, 06:04 PM

Any word in that interview about fixing the player progession in games played and not simmed? That is a whole lot more important than the rest of this stuff.

Kodos · 06-29-2003, 07:21 AM

If you're asking about pancake blocks, they say it's fixed.

Kodos · 06-30-2003, 01:17 PM

Another Madden 2004 interview from MaddenWishlist.com.

Oh, GrantDawg, they address the progression problem from 2003 in the interview.

Easy Mac · 06-30-2003, 01:29 PM

2) So, we understand that the CPU won't be offering users trades, and won't trade among itself in 2004. Any chance of seeing this in 2005? (Of the 200 suggestions posted at maddenwishlist.com, this is in the top 5 ideas that people would like to see...)

JS: Give the trade block feature a try – we think this was a great way to get offers from the CPU that were intelligent. Some other games that have random CPU trading are really random – why would I want Ricky Williams getting traded to the Rams for Marshall Faulk in my franchise? That just doesn’t make sense. Given the amount of trading that goes on in the NFL (not a lot) we never prioritized this high, but we always take a look at things like this.

WTF is the point of the career mode if the computer doesn't do a damn thing... bullshit.

06-26-2003, 05:13 PM	#6
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	Is "FBG" the Stuart Scott of computer game reporting? __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

06-26-2003, 08:37 PM	#13
CHEMICAL SOLDIER College Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Henderson, Nevada	Its glad to see that FOF and Jim are getting a much deserved recognition . __________________ Toujour Pret

06-26-2003, 10:47 PM	#15
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	Reading this, FBG sounds like he's more interested in what music is in the game than the actual gameplay itself. He didn't seem to care about owner mode at all. Kind of an idiot really. The jury's out on this owner mode. I'll try it first, but I guess I can fall back on another mode if it stinks. __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

06-26-2003, 10:54 PM	#16
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	dola...there's a second page as well with this interesting quote: Strauser: Yep, so it's kind of fun. It's pretty in depth. When you add up the whole thing, put everything together, it's more in depth than even Front Office Football was. __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

06-27-2003, 08:45 AM	#29
andy m High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: norwich, UK	a lot of Champ Manager's "rival" sims tend to go overboard on this so-called off the field "depth" with things like fiddling around with individual advertising boards and club merchandise and all that crap. and there is a reason why CM is popular and all the rest of the games are boring. __________________ mostly harmless FOFL 2009 champs - Norwich Quagmire

06-26-2003, 04:53 PM	#3
bosshogg23 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Philly	Sounds like alot of improvements for the series. Anyone else think that interview was gawd awful to try and read through? I dont know if it just wasnt edited enough or what but man.....

06-26-2003, 04:56 PM	#4
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	Boss, haven't read the whole thing yet, but read the quote here. I was just thinking, that's one of the most horrible sounding interviews I've ever read. I'm actually frightened to read the rest.

06-26-2003, 05:03 PM	#5
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	It's kind of sloppy, but it's almost more of a conversation that's about the game. I thought the abundance of info made it worthwhile to wade through.

06-26-2003, 05:16 PM	#7
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	FBG is as cool as the other side of the pillow, baby!

06-26-2003, 05:31 PM	#8
tucker342 Pro Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Iowa City, IA	Good god owner mode sounds awesome. I wonder if it will be implimented corectly though...

06-26-2003, 05:55 PM	#10
Bee Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fairfax, VA	Bucc will finally get his cotton candy.

06-26-2003, 06:13 PM	#12
Super Ugly High School JV Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Look behind you	I really hope that it works. It sounds pretty amazing.

06-26-2003, 09:48 PM	#14
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	So, this sounds good to everyone? Custom menus? Parking charges? Just who are the "diehards" that think this is what a career-style sports sim is all about?

06-27-2003, 04:46 AM	#18
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Just to add a little, I think it is cool that a console football game will finally factor in financial performance in deciding whether or not you are going to keep your job as GM. Your team can be doing decent enough on the field, but if you aren't putting fans in the seats, then you're likely headed for a firing. Assuming I can control multiple teams in owner mode (as I can in franchise mode in Madden 2003), I think it would be fun as a side project to my real franchise to see just how many Bengals fans I can drive even further into utter despair by raising ticket/parking/food prices to absurd levels while failing to field even a mildly competitive team. Also, the fact that they have modeled over 100 real American cities (including ones in Canada and Mexico) where part of what you'll be dealing with is a semi-realistic monetary situation based on the city you choose will also be interesting. Now, when I move a team, it entails more than just choosing from 4 or 5 generic pre-made stadiums and renaming the team the Rochester Snowstorms. Perhaps I decide to move the Bengals to Rochester and change their name/uniform in an attempt to erase this blight on the NFL's good name, but I have to stop and consider whether or not the team can ever be financially successful in a small market that is so close to the already established Buffalo Bills market. It sounds like I'd have a decent chance of getting fired if I did decide to try that. To me, that adds a whole new level of interest to the game. For years, I have wanted a game that basically mixes Madden's gameplay with the depth of FOF in terms of managing the entire franchise. It looks like this is a real attempt to do so by the leading franchise in the console football world. Personally, if I could only get one game during the next whole year, it would be Madden 2004. Who knows if they can pull the Owner Mode off well in their first attempt? I applaud them for trying. This could easily become my most-played game of all time. For all the EA-bashing that goes on around here, I think they deserve a lot of credit for pushing the envelope on the franchise mode here. Sure, setting the price for food might seem a little bit silly, but if it genuinely affects the financial health of my franchise, then I like having the option to set prices for everything as I see fit. Imagine - now I can charge poor Rochesterians six bucks a cup to drink the barely drinkable Gennessee Creme Ale from the local brewery. And then watch them sit through the typical horrid lake-effect snowstorms that always hit poor Rochester area dwellers starting in late September. I also like the fact that they have all sorts of real-life coaches thrown into the game, including guys like Gary Kubiak who you can hire away from the Broncos to be your new head coach. Or maybe you're the Bengals and you decide that hiring the Panther's special teams coach to lead your entire team is your ticket to league domination. I just think this game sounds like it could have almost endless replay value in owner mode. I can't wait for the game to come. I'm glad that NCAA Football 2004 will be here in less than a month to help tide me over. I need my football fix!

06-27-2003, 06:43 AM	#20
condors College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000	my biggest concern would be the sim engine does it play out every play and come up with a detailed report i can look at? I probally would have to make every team a "human" team and watch every game of every week play out play by play i am not saying the game won't be fun or i won't get it but i see nothing changing the current "sim engine"

06-27-2003, 06:46 AM	#21
MIJB#19 Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Maassluis, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands	Yea, awe!

06-27-2003, 07:03 AM	#23
Super Ugly High School JV Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Look behind you	Of course, I'll reserve judgment until I actually play the game, but I agree with Kodos when he says EA deserves applause for actually trying something new. It might not be 100% realistic, but then I don't think any video game will ever be able to fully capture the essence of real life sports. My biggest problem with FOF has always been that after a few seasons, you begin to lose touch with all the players you see on the screen. The names you know retire, and you're left with so many random characters that you lose the ability to identify with them. I too have wished that Madden would one day bring the elements of FOF in, and it seems like they're taking a step in the right direction. They might not get it right this year, or even the next, but if they stick with it then that owner mode will set the standard for sports games. Right now though, I'm just glad to see that they've abandoned their policy of using half-arsed music for the menus. Bon Jovi? Good Charlotte? Please ...

06-27-2003, 07:57 AM	#24
BucDawg40 H.S. Freshman Team Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Tampa, FL	Isn't it true that you can only play ten seasons in career mode? If so, who cares how in-depth it is?

06-27-2003, 08:05 AM	#25
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	Nah, that was a nasty rumor, it's at least the 30 seasons from last year's, possibly more, I'm not certain. This sounds pretty good, I have a lot of doubts of how well it be implemented, but hoping for the best!

06-27-2003, 08:57 AM	#30
cincyreds High School Varsity Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Mississippi	10 seasons??? Only 10?? I will not be buying Madden if this is so. I like a game that I can sit back and sim years and years. I hope Total Pro Football turns to be the game that I and alot of us are looking for. __________________ The Dallas Cowboys!! America's Team will rise again.

06-27-2003, 10:21 AM	#32
Cards4ever College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Eagan, MN	HB is right on with his comparison of the NFL and NHL, if this was a NHL game, then stuff like merchandising, etc would be more important, but the NFL being a capped, shared revenue sport makes alot of this stuff a waste of time. Avg Ticket price? Building stadiums? Fine, but keep out the choosing between wings or nachos. __________________ Cardinal Baseball & Gopher Hockey, what else do you need?

06-27-2003, 10:54 AM	#34
TroyF Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000	My choice of purchase for a pro game this year comes down to gameplay. Period. 30 years? The dynasties I don't get into a lot generally last 30 years, much less the ones I really care about. I have zero desire to set the price of hot dogs and cotton candy. I have zero desire to worry about parking at my stadium. If Madden wants my money this year, they'd better put out a better game than ESPN football ON the field. If not, I'm not going to give it a moments notice. As it is, I'll probably be spending a great deal of time with .400 sports new football game (as well as FOF4 and the new hockey game with the CM engine, CM and whatever new game Jim decides to release) I usually go to the console for a break from that. I give EA credit for trying new things, but I want to see an improvement on the field. TroyF

06-27-2003, 12:00 PM	#36
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Just to deal with a couple of false rumors floating around out there: a. Owner Mode is 30 seasons long, not 10. b. Online play is free. There is no charge. Sometimes I swear NFL2K fans are trying to put out false info about Madden in hopes of luring uninformed players over to their franchise. It looks like some of the owner mode features may not be to everyone's tastes, which is fine, because you are never going to please everyone. They probably have the option to have the computer take care of any of those tasks that you find uninteresting, just as you can have the computer run the offseason if that's not your bag in franchise mode in Madden 2003. I happen to like the direction that they are taking. Hopefully they've done it well. To me, Madden is the best football game gameplay-wise, as well as franchise mode-wise. This year's installment looks to widen the gap for me. Though I have tried each incarnation of NFL 2k (now ESPN Football), I just can't get into it. Especially with that damn charge up meter... I will likely give it a trial rental again this season, since it is supposed to be much improved this year. Oh, and EA is paying me well... I heart EA.

06-27-2003, 12:39 PM	#38
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	QuikSand hearts horseracing sims.

06-27-2003, 01:01 PM	#39
Canadian Football Guy n00b Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	This sounds amazing. 30 years is cool but I still wish you could go longer like FOF. I mean if you buy the PC version there should be no reason why you can not go longer than 30 years. Right? __________________ CFL.....Our balls are bigger!!

06-27-2003, 01:34 PM	#40
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	I dunno. I'm getting the PS2 version, so I don't follow the other versions so much.

06-27-2003, 01:54 PM	#41
Marmel Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Manchester, CT	Fanboy. __________________ 81-78 Cincinnati basketball writer P. Daugherty, "Connor Barwin playing several minutes against Syracuse is like kids with slingshots taking down Caesar's legions."

06-27-2003, 02:04 PM	#42
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Fanboys blow! Get it?!?

06-27-2003, 02:07 PM	#43
Marmel Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Manchester, CT	__________________ 81-78 Cincinnati basketball writer P. Daugherty, "Connor Barwin playing several minutes against Syracuse is like kids with slingshots taking down Caesar's legions." Last edited by Marmel : 06-27-2003 at 02:07 PM.

06-28-2003, 01:43 AM	#44
MizzouRah Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Troy, Mo	I'll probably get Madden just so I can see my College recruits get drafted by an NFL team. It would be nice if players from NCAA 2004 could enter either game, be it Madden or FB. I think ESPN FB might surprise a few more people this year, although I bought Madden right off the bat and waited until I stumbled on NFL2k3 for $10. I just couldn't get into NFL2k3 like I did Madden. I think alot of us are Maddenized and it's hard to play anything else. ? Todd

06-28-2003, 02:08 PM	#46
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	I got into NFL2k series when I had a Dreamcast before I got my PS2(which I eventually traded in for my beloved Xbox) Madden's first try on PS2 was somewhat disappointing, and I quickly got hooked at how innovative 2k was. However, once I got my Xbox, I bought both games. I played the 2k version (both 2002 and 2003) first, and burned out on it in a couple of weeks. With Madden, I can play again and again. heck, I still play 2003 and probably will until NCAA comes out. It's just got better replay value I think....though I might end up getting ESPN football if it gets good ratings. The one that really disappointed me was Fever2003. I bought 2002 for $10 after the Super Bowl and loved it. 2003 was a major letdown. Not even going to look at it this year, seems everything I've read about it is for online play....which usually means other things get overlooked. __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

06-28-2003, 06:04 PM	#47
GrantDawg World Champion Mis-speller Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Covington, Ga.	Any word in that interview about fixing the player progession in games played and not simmed? That is a whole lot more important than the rest of this stuff.

06-29-2003, 07:21 AM	#48
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	If you're asking about pancake blocks, they say it's fixed. __________________ Author of The Bill Gates Challenge, as well as other groundbreaking dynasties. Last edited by Kodos : 06-29-2003 at 07:21 AM.

06-30-2003, 01:17 PM	#49
Kodos Resident Alien Join Date: Jun 2001	Another Madden 2004 interview from MaddenWishlist.com. Oh, GrantDawg, they address the progression problem from 2003 in the interview. Last edited by Kodos : 06-30-2003 at 01:18 PM.

06-30-2003, 01:29 PM	#50
Easy Mac Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Here	2) So, we understand that the CPU won't be offering users trades, and won't trade among itself in 2004. Any chance of seeing this in 2005? (Of the 200 suggestions posted at maddenwishlist.com, this is in the top 5 ideas that people would like to see...) JS: Give the trade block feature a try – we think this was a great way to get offers from the CPU that were intelligent. Some other games that have random CPU trading are really random – why would I want Ricky Williams getting traded to the Rams for Marshall Faulk in my franchise? That just doesn’t make sense. Given the amount of trading that goes on in the NFL (not a lot) we never prioritized this high, but we always take a look at things like this. WTF is the point of the career mode if the computer doesn't do a damn thing... bullshit.