Madden NFL 16 Implements a Draft Board, More Like a Watch List

[dbkaeoz33]

Madden NFL 16 Creative Director, Kolbe Launchbaugh was interviewed by Shopmaster and revealed that a "Draft Board" was added to the game. While it isn't a true draft board that you can setup and walk away from, the steps to making it a full fledged draft board could be coming down the road.

For now, users can use the draft board, as a watch list, by flagging players during scouting, making it a little easier to filter at draft time. The team hopes to add the ability to walk away from the draft and have the CPU select the players you need based off of your team needs. While it seems unlikely that it happens this year, these steps are a good sign of things to come.

The video interview isn't solely focused on the draft board, as Kolbe talks about dynamic drive goals, confidence, community feedback and more. Watch it here.

[Sheba2011]

This is big news, goodbye pen and paper!

[brza37]

Quote: Originally Posted by dbkaeoz33

Shopmaster confirmed it with Kolbe. It's called a "watch list" but you must be present for the draft still. http://youtu.be/F30SyEs9SpQ

A "Watch List" is not a Draft Board. You can't rank the players in the watch list. That is the number 1 requirement of a Draft Board. Honestly, its ridiculous that Kolbe would even call it a draft board. And I'm surprised Shop didn't call him out on that. A watch list hardly adds anything to the equation. If I can't rank my draft prospects then I'm still gonna have to use pen & paper or excel. This "new addition" does nothing for me.

Thats like the college scout director or GM going into the draft and saying:
Scout: "We have narrowed our draft board down to 100 players."
Coach: "Great! Who will we take with the number one pick?"
Scout: "Oh, I don't know. I didn't rank them. But we only have to look through 100 prospects while we're on the clock instead of 400. Isn't that great?!"
Coach: "You're fired."

Also, the biggest advantage of a draft board would be to allow people in online CFMs who can't be there for the draft to be able to set up rankings and position preferences like in a fantasy football autodraft. Thats not possible yet either.

[Trick13]

It is a step, well a baby step, in the right direction. It isn't the fully fleshed out custom board we all want where user and CPU "re-ranking" of players impact "draft stock" and users with crappy work schedules could get some relief from being the odd man out of successful drafts.

I do applaud it, as I said it is a baby step in the right direction.

Scouting, on the other hand is going to be bleeping horrendous - I am aback to hating scouting again already, because frankly it is so darn time consuming and now I have to scout every week or lose the points/minutes or whatever - huge freaking step back, giant in fact.

To me, ideal solution is to get rid of "scouting points" and have scouting reports, where you just get sentences and you get varied reports from different scouts and very limited info of varying accuracy on development level - believe me when I tell you that every NFL team has detailed info on every single player, all the game tapes are reviewed, scouting agencies outside the teams are paid for their info, and no stone is left un-turned. The only limitation for NFL teams is the interview and workout numbers are restricted.

[jpdavis82]

This was something we fought for you guys to have this year, like Kolbe and Shop said there is more to come, just try to keep a realistic idea of what they could put in, in the amount of time left before the release and I think you guys will be happy. The thing you guys can take from this interview more than what is or isn't being added is that they're listening to your feedback. Trust me, you guys will like what's coming in the future for CFM. I can't answer any questions about the watch list because they added that very recently and it wasn't in when I played.

[Gosens6]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpdavis82

This was something we fought for you guys to have this year, like Kolbe and Shop said there is more to come, just try to keep a realistic idea of what they could put in, in the amount of time left before the release and I think you guys will be happy. The thing you guys can take from this interview more than what is or isn't being added is that they're listening to your feedback. Trust me, you guys will like what's coming in the future for CFM. I can't answer any questions about the watch list because they added that very recently and it wasn't in when I played.

I'm inclined to agree with this. It may not be a true draft board, but at least it's something a month and a half before release. I fully expect to see a draft board in M17

[Junior Moe]

Ok. This is a pretty cool thing to add this late in the process. It's more symbolic than anything. Kudos Madden!!

[sir psycho]

It's nice to see that they are listening